Bea Burge

I. V. “Bea” Burge was born in Pearl River County, Mississippi, on August 30, 1930, to Mary Ladner Bennett and S. D. Bennett of Mill Creek. She passed away peacefully on June 24, 2026, in Gulfport, Mississippi, at Gulfport Care Center, where she had resided for two and a half years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers, A. J. Bennett and X. L. Bennett, her sister, R. Z. Bennett Necaise, nephew, Don Necaise, and niece, Renee’ Necaise Rydzewski.

She was also preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Hurley Davis Burge. She lived in Long Beach, Mississippi for 65 years.

Bea is survived by her only child, Mary Rachell Burge Richards (Robert), and three grandchildren, Brett Richards (Katherine), John Richards (Tess), and Christie Richards Penot (Matthew).

She has eight great grandchildren, Penelope and Eloise Richards, Hazel and Sadie Richards, and Reese, Rowan, Jackson, and Weston Penot.

Bea and her husband owned Long Beach TV and Appliances store in the 60’s, and in the 70’s she co-owned Fashion Fabrics on Jeff Davis Avenue in Long Beach. She was a realtor on the Gulf Coast for 48 years.

Bea attended First Baptist Church in Long Beach, was a member of the very first Quarles Elementary PTA, the Women in Business Club, and the Mississippi Association of Realtors, who presented her with a plaque of recognition upon her retirement.

She received her real estate certifications from USM, Gulf Park.

Bea loved to cook, sew, garden, and collect antiques. Her real passion was real estate, helping people buy or sell homes.

The family would like to thank the ladies from Southern Living Assistance for their dedicated support and care of Bea for the last three years and Vital Caring Hospice.  They would also like to give a special thank you to “her puppy” Daisy, with Visiting Teams of South Mississippi, Pet Partners. Bea looked forward to Daisy’s weekly visits.

Visitation will be on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, from 9 - 10 am at the Riemann Family Funeral Home, 19130 Commission Road, Long Beach. The funeral service will be at 10 am in the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in Henleyfield Baptist Church Cemetery, Pearl River County, MS.